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Amaranthus spinosus Linnaeus. Common name: Spiny Amaranth, Quelite Espinoso. Phenology: Jul-Oct. Habitat: Fields, gardens, roadsides, barnyards, pastures. Distribution: Native of tropical America.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Bah, C, Can, F, FNA4, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mex, Mo2, NcTx, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, Bayón (2015), Costea & Tardif (2003b). Basionym: Amaranthus spinosus L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Amaranthus spinosus - FNA4

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

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image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Becky Dill | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect or ascending annual of fields, gardens, roadsides, barnyards and pastures. Native of tropical America.

Stems: Stems bushy-branched, ridged, reddish and smooth.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petiolate, broadly oval, smooth, with 2 long spines at each leaf node.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in separate clusters by sex: female in clusters in leaf axils, male in elongated, nodding spikes at top of stem; greenish-white, minute, consisting of 5 tepals and 3 shorter bracts.

Fruits: Fruit a blackish-brown seed surrounded by a membrane.

Comments:

Height: 3-4 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect or ascending annual of fields, gardens, roadsides, barnyards and pastures. Native of tropical America.

stems: Stems bushy-branched, ridged, reddish and smooth.

leaves: Leaves alternate, long-petiolate, broadly oval, smooth, with 2 long spines at each leaf node.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in separate clusters by sex: female in clusters in leaf axils, male in elongated, nodding spikes at top of stem; greenish-white, minute, consisting of 5 tepals and 3 shorter bracts.

fruits: Fruit a blackish-brown seed surrounded by a membrane.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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